diff --git a/weed/mq/broker/broker_grpc_pub.go b/weed/mq/broker/broker_grpc_pub.go
index 1253420ac..6e8d05a33 100644
--- a/weed/mq/broker/broker_grpc_pub.go
+++ b/weed/mq/broker/broker_grpc_pub.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/glog"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/mq/topic"
-	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb/mq_pb"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/peer"
 	"io"
@@ -63,51 +62,11 @@ func (b *MessageQueueBroker) PublishMessage(stream mq_pb.SeaweedMessaging_Publis
 		return stream.Send(response)
 	}
 
-
 	// connect to follower brokers
-	if localTopicPartition.FollowerStream == nil && len(initMessage.FollowerBrokers) > 0 {
-		follower := initMessage.FollowerBrokers[0]
-		ctx := context.Background()
-		localTopicPartition.FollowerGrpcConnection, err = pb.GrpcDial(ctx, follower, true, b.grpcDialOption)
-		if err != nil {
-			response.Error = fmt.Sprintf("fail to dial %s: %v", follower, err)
-			glog.Errorf("fail to dial %s: %v", follower, err)
-			return stream.Send(response)
-		}
-		followerClient := mq_pb.NewSeaweedMessagingClient(localTopicPartition.FollowerGrpcConnection)
-		localTopicPartition.FollowerStream, err = followerClient.PublishFollowMe(ctx)
-		if err != nil {
-			response.Error = fmt.Sprintf("fail to create publish client: %v", err)
-			glog.Errorf("fail to create publish client: %v", err)
-			return stream.Send(response)
-		}
-		if err = localTopicPartition.FollowerStream.Send(&mq_pb.PublishFollowMeRequest{
-			Message: &mq_pb.PublishFollowMeRequest_Init{
-				Init: &mq_pb.PublishFollowMeRequest_InitMessage{
-					Topic:      initMessage.Topic,
-					Partition:  initMessage.Partition,
-				},
-			},
-		}); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		// start receiving ack from follower
-		go func() {
-			defer func() {
-				println("stop receiving ack from follower")
-			}()
-
-			for {
-				ack, err := localTopicPartition.FollowerStream.Recv()
-				if err != nil {
-					glog.Errorf("Error receiving follower ack: %v", err)
-					return
-				}
-				atomic.StoreInt64(&localTopicPartition.AckTsNs, ack.AckTsNs)
-				println("recv ack", ack.AckTsNs)
-			}
-		}()
+	if followerErr := localTopicPartition.MaybeConnectToFollowers(initMessage, b.grpcDialOption); followerErr != nil {
+		response.Error = followerErr.Error()
+		glog.Errorf("MaybeConnectToFollowers: %v", followerErr)
+		return stream.Send(response)
 	}
 
 	var receivedSequence, acknowledgedSequence  int64
diff --git a/weed/mq/topic/local_partition.go b/weed/mq/topic/local_partition.go
index a6562fd5c..3c902a503 100644
--- a/weed/mq/topic/local_partition.go
+++ b/weed/mq/topic/local_partition.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package topic
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/glog"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb"
@@ -128,6 +129,55 @@ func (p *LocalPartition) WaitUntilNoPublishers() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (p *LocalPartition) MaybeConnectToFollowers(initMessage *mq_pb.PublishMessageRequest_InitMessage, grpcDialOption grpc.DialOption) (err error) {
+	if p.FollowerStream != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if len(initMessage.FollowerBrokers) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	follower := initMessage.FollowerBrokers[0]
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	p.FollowerGrpcConnection, err = pb.GrpcDial(ctx, follower, true, grpcDialOption)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("fail to dial %s: %v", follower, err)
+	}
+	followerClient := mq_pb.NewSeaweedMessagingClient(p.FollowerGrpcConnection)
+	p.FollowerStream, err = followerClient.PublishFollowMe(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("fail to create publish client: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err = p.FollowerStream.Send(&mq_pb.PublishFollowMeRequest{
+		Message: &mq_pb.PublishFollowMeRequest_Init{
+			Init: &mq_pb.PublishFollowMeRequest_InitMessage{
+				Topic:      initMessage.Topic,
+				Partition:  initMessage.Partition,
+			},
+		},
+	}); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// start receiving ack from follower
+	go func() {
+		defer func() {
+			println("stop receiving ack from follower")
+		}()
+
+		for {
+			ack, err := p.FollowerStream.Recv()
+			if err != nil {
+				glog.Errorf("Error receiving follower ack: %v", err)
+				return
+			}
+			atomic.StoreInt64(&p.AckTsNs, ack.AckTsNs)
+			println("recv ack", ack.AckTsNs)
+		}
+	}()
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (p *LocalPartition) MaybeShutdownLocalPartition() (hasShutdown bool) {
 	if p.MaybeShutdownLocalPartition() {
 		if p.FollowerStream != nil {